Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Accelerating Variety Release With Double Haploids, Sue Broughton

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The use of plant tissue culture to produce special lines called doubled haploids is reducing the time taken to breed new varieties of cereal crops by up to three years. Sue Broughton outlines what doubled haploids are, how they are produced, and why they have been able to short circuit the usual lengthy breeding process.

Success With Serradella In The Wheatbelt, Clinton Revell, Bradley Nutt, Michael Ewing

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Clinton Revell, Bradley Nutt, and Michael Ewing review the latest developments with new varieties of French serradella and yellow seradella that should provide the basis for productive legume pastures on acidic, sandy soils throughout the wheatbelt of Western Australia

Durum Wheat : A Potential New Crop For Western Australia, Alfredo Impiglia, Wal Anderson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The export orientation of our grains industries and the current favourable position of durum wheat in the world trade make this an opportune time to examine the propsects for durum wheat in Western Australia. Alfredo Impiglia and Wal Anderson summarise the known requirements for consistant production of high quality durum that will lead to the establshment of a new industry in Western Australia.

Cotton Rising From The Ashes, Georgina Wilson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Two hundred thousand dollars worth of quality cotton was deliberately destroyed by burning in the Kimberley last December. The same thing will probably happen again this year, but there will ne no cries of arson and police will not be seeking the perpetrators. Georgina Wilson reports on the emerging cotton industry on the Ord.

Planting Seeds For A Sound Future, Peter Portmann

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Royalties have been collected sales of all new crop varieties released in We tern ustralia by the Department of Agriculture since the lease of Merrit lupins and Yilgarn oats in 1991.

Many questions have been raised by farmers about these royalties. Why pay royalties when we have already paid for the development of the varieties through our Grains Research end: Development Corporation levy? Why should we pay a Jevy if it - is just going back into Government revenue? Is there any real benefit to us?

New Medics Show Promise In The Northern Wheatbelt, Colin Mcdonald, Bradley Nutt

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

For more than 20 years Cyprus barrel medic has been the mainstay of pastures grown on the medium to heavy red clay loamss of Western Australia'slow rainfall wheatbelt. However, since the early1980s its resistance to aphids has declined followed by reduced productivitymand persistence.

Fortunately, a six year research program at Tenibdewa, near Mullewa, is on target to prove the superiority of Parabinga barrel medic and a mixture of Serena and Santiago burr medics. These varieties, which had not been widley tested in the region, generally out-perform Cyprus in all aspects because of their higher tolerance of aphids.

Fast Tracking Barley Varieties Using Anther Culture, Sue Broughton, Penny Priest

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Breeding new varieties of barley or other cereal crops usually takes between 12 and 15 years. five years of that time may be needed to stabalise the new varieties so that they breed trueto type, but anther culture can reduce this delay to only eight months. This technology will allow the Department of Agriculture's barley breeding programme to respond more rapidly to changes in goals set by industry and to meet market demands.

Breeding Field Peas In Western Australia, T N. Khan

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Field peas have grown dramatically in popularity in western Australia in the past five years, with the planted area increasing from a mere few hundred hectares to about 70,000 ha in 1988. This growth may continue, as more than 700,000 ha of agricultural land is potentially suitable for growing field peas.

However, any such growth of the pea industry will require new cultivars with improved yield, adaptation and quality characteristics to meet local and export demands. The Department of agriculture therefore decided to start a selection and breeding programme to support the pea industry.

Early Sowing Of Ceral Crops In Low Rainfall Areas, R J. Delane, John Hamblin

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

One of the objectives of the Department of Agriculture's crop research in the low rainfall, northern wheatbelt is to develop crop varieties and management practices that will make best use of stored water on both sandplain and fine textured soils. Sowing a crop early will improve its water use efficiency and yiel in low rainfall areas.

Breeding Field Peas : Screening Pea Lines, G H. Walton

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The early use of field peas in Western Australia was as a green manure crop or to feed stock be grazing the mature crop. Varieties which produced a large bulk of green material were sown. There was no control over insects or diseases.

In 1985, the Feseral Government recognised that to realize the potential of grain legumes grown throughout Australia, more research was needed.

One of the Grain Legume Research Council's (GLRC) priorities is species evaluation and variety improvement.

Since 1983, the Western Australian Department of Agriculture has screened advanced crossbred lines from the South Australian breeding programme for its …

Increasing Wheat Yields Through Breeding, B R. Whan, R. Gilmour

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

With the current 'cost price' sueeze facing Australia's farmers, the development of new higher yielding varieties is moe important that ever. By growing higher yielding varieties, farmers can increase their returns at virtuakky no additional cost: for example a wheat variety that produces 5 per cent extra yield from 1 t/ha crop returns about an additional $8/ha. Farmers can therefore increase their production by growing improved varieties.

Barley Breeding Update, P A. Portmann

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Barley production in Western Australia has increased over the past few years, peaking at 1.42 million tonnes in 1984. The European Economic Community, however, has flooded world markets for barley and over half of ourbarley was sold for feed to Saudi Arabia last year. Current prices therefore have declined as has the total area sown to barley in this State.

Despite this, the potential to increase barley yields is most promising. The Department of Agriculture has cross-bred lines in advanced stages of field testing which could increase yield by 10 per cent across the agricultural areas.

In the longer term, …

Preventing Lupinosis With Phomopsis-Resistant Lupins, Jeremy G. Allen, W. A. Cowling

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Lupinosis is one of the major livestock siseases in Western Australia. It is caused by stock eating toxins produced by the fungus Phomopsis leptostromiformis which colonises the stems of dead lupin plants.

In 975, the Department of Agriculture started a breeding programme to develop Phompsis-resistant lupins to overcome or control lupinosis. In the previous issue of this Journal the results of small plot evaluations of new lines of Phompsis-resistant lupins developed in this programme were reported. This article describes the first trial involving grazing of Phompsis-resistant lupins.

Crop Variety Testing And Recommendations, H M. Fisher

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

From 1984 onwards, the Department of Agriculture's crop variety recommendations for Western Australia will be set out in a new format directly related to the 18 variety testing areas into which the South-West has been divided. These divisions should enable growers to more readily identify the recommendations which apply to their area. In addition, yield data on the varieties are provided for each area.

The recommendations are the culmination of a lenghty process of breeding, selection and testing of crop varieties. This article gives the background to the tests and how the results are used as the basis for the …

Crop Varieties For 1979, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

New crop varieties recommended for 1979 include two wheats, Tincurrin and Warimba, Moore oats and blackleg resistant Westro rapeseed.

Milling Wheat For Northern Areas, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Miling - a new hard wheat variety for the north central medium and high rainfall areas including the Midlands region.

Another Variety For Northern Areas : Illyarrie Lupin, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The Department of Agriculture has released another new lupin variety for the northern agricultureal areas. It is a sweet narrow-leafed lupin named Illyarrie.

An Improved Rapeseed Variety : Wesway, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Wesway, a new blackleg-resistant variety of rapeseed, has been released by the Department of Agriculture.

Seed of Wesway has been released to growerin the west Midlands, Great Southern and south coastal regions.

Tincurrin : A New Biscuit Wheat, J T. Reeves, H. M. Fisher, G. B. Crosbie

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Although a demand has existed both locally and overseas for soft wheat suitable for biscuits, cakes and various confectioneries, production has been very limited.

In 1978 farmers in the soft wheat area will be able to grow the higher yielding variety Tincurrin.

It is recommended for general sowing to replace all varieties grown at present in the soft wheat areas as defined.Exceptions may prevail in areas prone to rust snd septoria problems.

Wesreo : A Blackleg Resistant Rapeseed, N N. Roy

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A new rapeseed variety, Wesreo, has recently been released after an unusually rapid and successful breeding programme by the Department of Agriculture.

Wesreo has fairly good resistance to the disease blackleg, which virtually halted the expanding rapeseed industry in 1973.

Seed Kikuyu Performs Well, K E. Hawley

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The kikuya variety, Whittet, which can be established from seed has performed well in a trial at Denmark.

Five New Clovers Bring Change In Pasture Recommendations, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The release of five new subterranean clovers should improve pastures throughout farming areas.

This article summarises the new recommendations.

Crop Variety Recommendations For The 1978 Season, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Recommendations on which varieties are likely to be most profitable for farmers to grow are based on yields in Department of Agriculture trials and suitability of grain, in relation to the capacity of vatious didtricts for producing different types of grain.

Subterranean Clover In W.A. 1. The Current Situation, B J. Quinlivan, C. M. Francis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

From small beginnings some 50 or more years ago subterranean clover has come to dominate the pasture scene in Western Australia. Of the 7 000 000 hectares of sown pasture all but some 500 000 are sown to subterranean clover. Further, it is estimated that there remains an area of similar size still to be sown, although in some instances these future sowings will be possible only if suitable varieties are available.

Clearing and pasture development within the various agricultural regions of the State took place, as a rule, within quite clearly defined time intervals and the varieties selected for …

Trikkala, A New Safe Clover For Wet Areas, C M. Francis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Trikkala is a new low oestrogen subterranean clover cultivar which has been released to seed producers this year. It should be available in quantity to farmers in 1977 and is recommended as an alternative to Yarloop for winter-wet situations.

Subterranean Clover In W.A. 2. Characteristics Required For Agronomic Success, C M. Francis, B. J. Quinlivan, N. J. Halse, D. A. Nicholas

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Development of subterranean clover varieties is a rapidly changing scene, particularly in terms of farmer acceptance, disease and persistency problems. This is only to be expected, because this is an agricultural plant of only some 50 to 70 years standing, whereas many other pasture plants have been in common use for thousands of years.

Two New Lupins, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The Department of Agriculture recently released two new lupin varieties— Marri and Ultra. Marri closely resembles the existing Uniharvest variety, but is resistant to the grey leaf spot disease. Ultra is the first commercial release of a sweet Mediterranean white lupin variety in Australia.

Grain Crop Varieties For Western Australia, H M. Fisher

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Recommendations for grain crop varieties grown in Western Australia are based on the results of field trials carried out each year by the Department of Agriculture at some 50 sites throughout the agricultural areas.

New varieties are tested directly against existing commercial varieties in large scale field trials for several years. Yield and quality results are analysed and market requirements are studied before recommendations are formulated.

This article gives information on the varieties of a range of crops now recommended for growing in Western Australia.

Lupin Breeding In Western Australia : The Narrow-Leaf Lupin (Lupinus Angustifolius), John Sylvester Gladstones

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Over the past seven years the narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) has become a significant crop plant in Western Australia.

The present crop varieties are the result of a long-term breeding programme started in 1954 with the aim of producing a broad-acre crop from a plant well adapted to our light soils but with a number of characteristics which precluded its use for cropping.

To an original sweet narrowleafed lupin, soft-seededness, nonshattering pods, early flowering and a distinctive appearance to distinguish it from bitter types were progressively added.

The author of this article, Dr. J. S. Gladstones, began lupin breeding at …

Growing Sunflowers In South-Western Australia, M L. Poole

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The oil produced from sunflowers falls into the "polyunsaturated" group and usually commands a premium price on world markets.

Some Western Australian farmers seeking to diversify their cropping programmes in the face of marketing difficulties for many agricultural products are trying sunflowers, although commercial production has not yet been achieved.

This article sets out some basic information for farmers wishing to try sunflowers.